How did a computer scientist such as Geoffrey Hinton manage to win a Nobel Prize in physics when computer science already has its own Nobel Prize equivalent in the Turing Awards?
12.06.2025 03:21
When he's standing, in front of you
(Mumbles of assent)
[The basic structure of artificial neural networks] has close similarities with spin models in statistical physics applied to magnetism or alloy theory. This year’s Nobel Prize in Physics recognizes research exploiting this connection to make breakthrough methodological advances in the field of ANN.
Thomson Reuters Ushers in the Next Era of AI with Launch of Agentic Intelligence - Thomson Reuters
Whatever.
"Good point, I'm sure we can swing it. And let's tack on Hopfield while we're about it."
They then move on to selectively provide their own version of history. But hey, it’s OK. They wanted controversy, didn’t they? Whatever.
What are the common formulas for improvising ornaments in bel canto singing?
There you go.^†
Why wait any longer for the one you love?
Fortunately, we are privy to the discussion that led up to this:
DNA from 9,000-year-old skeletons disproves migratory waves theory from South Africa - Earth.com
"Where can we shoehorn it in? Chemistry is easy 'cos AlphaFold; but what about physics? A bit more challenging, right?"
"Naah, Linnainmaa is a Finn. Can't give it to a bloody Finnish mathematician. Let's go for drinks. Brännvin anyone?"
"Hey guys, AI is pretty big so let's centre our prizes on it this year. We can get some attention, and it's all about advertising, at the end of the day, isn't it?"
If a narcissist can't feel remorse, can they ever feel regret for an evil act after going to rehab?
^* Fibiger got the 1926 Medicine prize for the discovery of Spiroptera carcinoma (Don’t ask).
^† They rationalise their decision thusly:
In December 1973, when Kissinger was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, comedian Tom Lehrer dropped his mic and stamped on it—satire had just died.
ISS Research & Development Conference Cancellation - NASA Watch
A fly on the wall at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
You can have your cake and eat it too
[Younger voice] "But wait a minute, Ising-Lenz goes back to the 1920's. And didn't Hinton plagiarise rather a lot? He also didn't invent modern backprop, did he, that's Linnainmaa? And Amari preceded Hopfield, too. That's not a good look."
[Older voice] "Mmm. What about Hinton, he's widely regarded? Nobody got fired for buying IBM"
… then anything is possible. There’s no rule that a Nobel Prize has to make sense.^*
"Good idea, but how can we wangle something that says 'Physics'?"
Willi Castro homers twice, Royce Lewis ends skid as Twins crush Athletics - Sports Illustrated
(Bob Dylan, Nobel Prize for Literature, 2016)
"Didn't he do something with Boltzmann in it? That sounds physics-y. RBMs and stuff, eh?"
In awarding prizes, the Nobel Committees often seem only marginally more competent than MTG is at explaining meteorology. And if they can give a literature prize for lyrics like:
I'm pretty sure that my dog is transgender, how would I go about transitioning it?
Whatever.
Why wait any longer for the world to begin?
My 11 million SEK, Dr Jo.
What do you think is the most powerful line in the song "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien" by Édith Piaf?